Alison Watt (1965 – )

Biography: Alison Watt (OBE FRSE RSA) was born in Greenock and studied at Glasgow School of Art. In 1987, while still a student, she won the National Portrait Gallery’s prestigious annual award. She subsequently became well known for her paintings of figures, often female nudes. In the late 90s she began to focus on the fabric which had previously acted as a prop or backdrop for her figures. Although the human figure is no longer explicit in Watt’s work, it is often implied. More recently, her painting has focused upon the relationship between the genres of portraiture and still life, exploring the possible narratives around everyday objects.